Chapter 323 Chapter 318 Complaint

Dumbledore was in the headmaster's office.

He was sitting behind the desk, looking down at a piece of parchment. He was wearing a bright blue robe, and his hat was placed on the corner of the desk. He looked like he had just come back from a long distance. Fawkes stood on the back of his chair, his long, beautiful tail feathers gently hanging beside his shoulders, casting a golden-red glow on his silver-white beard and hair.

"Ah, Minerva." Dumbledore looked up and smiled as they walked into the headmaster's office. "I was wondering when you would come. Can you help close the door, Hagrid? Thank you."

He pointed with his wand, and three chairs that looked very comfortable appeared in the headmaster's office, one of which was obviously larger than the others.

Hagrid gave Dumbledore a somewhat embarrassed smile, pulled the big chair over, and sat down. Fawkes turned his back to Anthony, lowered his bird head, and put his head against Dumbledore's neck for a few seconds before spreading his wings, turning into a beam of fire, and disappearing.

Dumbledore said with a smile: "Sit down, Minerva, Henry."

"Yes, sir." Anthony said, sitting on the chair on the other side.

Professor McGonagall did not look at the chair that appeared, and still stood upright in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Albus, I hope you have fully enjoyed your meeting." She said coldly, "Maybe you just noticed that the respectable senior investigator has had some insignificant impact on Hogwarts?"

"Maybe." Dumbledore said with a smile, "I'm reading the investigation report against me."

Professor McGonagall seemed to forget to be angry for a moment because of surprise: "And the investigation report against you?"

Dumbledore nodded: "Obviously. I came back just in time and happened to get it from Fox-sit down, my good professor, just celebrate for me." Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment, but still sat down.

"I don't see why this is worth celebrating," she said, slightly annoyed. "Don't tell me you got an 'O'."

Dumbledore said, "No, it's an 'A'. But I haven't received a report card for a long time, and I've been wanting to get another one. Isn't this worth celebrating? Tea?"

"No sugar and milk," said Professor McGonagall, "Thank you."

"Hagrid? Henry?"

Anthony thanked him and took the teacup, throwing a piece of sugar into it himself. Hagrid's teacup was as big as a bucket, and he added nearly half a bucket of milk, almost overflowing.

Professor McGonagall glanced at Hagrid and turned to Dumbledore: "Whatever happens, Albus, Dolores can't go on like this. She's gone too far."

Dumbledore put down the teacup, put his fingertips together, and pretended to listen attentively.

Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, and then her complaints came pouring out: "I've already talked about her walking around in class - it's very disruptive to class discipline - not to mention what she did with the 23rd Educational Order. No, I expected that her deductions would not be very fair, or I didn't expect her to be fair, but she's even worse than Severus, at least Professor Snape would bother to find some harsh reasons. Most importantly, do you know what happened today?"

"I guess I'm going to know soon."

Professor McGonagall was not interrupted at all: "She organized an investigation team, and then gave the power to deduct points to those students, even the second year! This completely undermines the prefect system and the house system!"

"Oh." Dumbledore said softly.

"Henry and Hagrid saw it. Albus, you may have your considerations, but this must stop. Otherwise..." She paused, "Otherwise, we might as well just abolish the house system - before everything becomes too ridiculous."

"That's ridiculous!" Hagrid repeated, "Thirty points from a second-year Slytherin bad boy!"

Anthony saw Professor McGonagall's gaze on him, put down the cup and echoed: "I don't see why Ms. Umbridge is allowed to do this."

"That's right." Dumbledore said, standing up and walking aside, "But maybe Dolores has other ideas."

He tapped the buzzing silver instrument with his wand. The white mist from the instrument paused for a while, and then with the sound of tinkling, the smoke twisted, split into two streams, swirled up, and merged into one stream, and finally dissipated near the sleeping sorting hat on the top of the cabinet.

"Interesting, but the question is not whether it is or not, but how..." Dumbledore muttered, then turned around and looked at the sky outside the window, "Although it's almost time for dinner, I guess Dolores won't mind having a cup of afternoon tea first."

...

"You're looking for me, Headmaster?" Umbridge asked in a coquettish voice. She stood in the middle of the headmaster's office, slightly raised her chin, as if she was deliberately making herself look more calm and domineering. Except for a glance around when she entered the door, she did not give any more eyes to Professor McGonagall, Hagrid or Anthony.

Dumbledore smiled: "Yes, Dolores, please sit down."

A chair appeared silently behind Umbridge.

"Thank you, Headmaster, you are so thoughtful." She said delicately, but her face was not very good, "I hope you have a good time while away from school."

"Of course, Dolores, it's all good. I brought back some nice black tea, perfect for this warm afternoon."

Umbridge politely took the cup and placed it on the table.

"By the way, I also saw the investigation report you gave me - I particularly like those paragraphs about how chaotic the management of Hogwarts is due to the inaction of the current principal." Dumbledore said briskly. , "However, I invited you because I heard an interesting rumor. We seem to have an investigation team?"

"Oh, yes, yes, Headmaster." Umbridge said softly, "A group of very enthusiastic and good children...With their help, my investigation work went much smoother...And, I heard everything The formation and dissolution of student organizations, associations, teams and clubs are free and do not require approval, so I did not bother to inform you, after all, you were probably busy at the time.”

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Dolores," Dumbledore said. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to accuse you of setting up an investigative team. On the contrary, I think it's a fantastic idea."

Umbridge repeated slowly: "You think this is a great..."

Hagrid slammed the teacup and bucket on the table: "Professor Dumbledore——"

Dumbledore raised a hand to stop Hagrid from continuing: "Genius, if you allow me to say so. Therefore, I want to encourage you to recruit more students to join the investigation team. I want to You'll be happy to discover that there are quite a few talented people among the students. I'm always impressed by Harry's kindness, for example."

"Mr. Potter, unfortunately, is not willing to cooperate with my investigation. In addition, Professor Snape has told me that Mr. Potter is reckless, arrogant, and pushy, and is probably not suitable to join the investigation team."

"—I have also heard of Miss Hermione Granger's diligence and prudence—"

"But she's Muggle-born, right?" Professor McGonagall glared at Umbridge with disgust, and Umbridge grinned like an ugly toad, "I mean, she's We have only known each other for more than a year and cannot make an accurate and appropriate judgment."

"——Mr. Ron Weasley is very familiar with the way the wizarding world works——"

"He and his brothers are somewhat untutored in their behavior," Umbridge said with a smile.

"My God, Dolores, how differently we see our students," said Dumbledore quietly. "Where I see kindness, humility, and sincerity, you see character distorted by prejudice; Where you find humor and warmth, you emphasize its chaos; where I see earnestness and intelligence, you only notice the least important thing about a person, which is origin and background.”

"What I just mentioned is very important, Headmaster." Umbridge said sweetly, but she looked slightly impatient. "Anyway, I understand. Let's make it clearer - —You’re doing it because they were deducted points by the investigation team, right?”

"Indeed, Dolores." Dumbledore put his ten fingers together and looked at her over his half-moon glasses. "I must admit, I am a little surprised. I know that Education Order No. 23 It gives you the same power of house points as professors, but traditionally, professors only allow prefects to deduct points—and, if I remember correctly, prefects cannot deduct points from each other.”

"Members of the investigation team cannot deduct points from each other, if that's what you want to ask, principal."

"No, I mean that appropriate restrictions and caution are necessary, Dolores. I'm afraid that excessive power, once it falls into the wrong hands, will bring consequences that no one is happy to see."

For the first time since entering the principal's office, Umbridge's expression changed visibly. She stared at Dumbledore in surprise, her voice trying to be calm was mixed with excitement, joy and fear: "Ah, finally, Dumbledore, you have finally revealed your flaws... Just as the minister expected..."

Professor McGonagall sneered unbearably. Dumbledore still looked very calm: "Don't misunderstand me. Regarding this matter, I think Connelly will agree with me - Evra?"

A portrait on the wall opened its eyes: "Albus?"

"Can you please ask if Connelly is in his office?" Dumbledore said, and looked at the sky again, "Ask the nearby staff, there should be some people who have not got off work yet. If Connelly Nelly is still at the Ministry, tell him—"

"——Everything is normal." Umbridge interrupted sharply, she took a deep breath, and a smile suddenly appeared on her face, "But maybe you don't have to travel in vain, Evra, The minister should have gone back."

The wizard named Evra was leaning towards her in the portrait and muttered: "It's been a long time since I visited my frame in the Ministry of Magic..."

"Believe me, it's unchanged from when you left." Umbridge said, "Headmaster, although the Investigation Team has no intention of increasing its membership in the short term, how about this: I will respect Hogwarts. tradition, take back the college powers of action group members below the fifth grade... As for the students above the fifth grade, I think they are mature enough to make you feel at ease?”

"In Hogwarts tradition, only the prefects have the power to share the house among the students." Dumbledore smiled slightly, "However, I encourage you... How did that sentence go? 'Carry out a series of reforms that go against tradition'?"

Professor McGonagall said: "It's strange, Dolores, you seem to have become very friendly all of a sudden. However, if you insist, you remind me that members of the Transfiguration Club may also have the power to share the house... In order to urge classmates to study and so on."

Anthony reminded: "Don't let the Lock Your Heart Club hear you say this."

Professor McGonagall said: "It doesn't matter, I think Pomona and Filius should be able to think of some clubs that should have the power to share the house... Oh, yes, there is also the Albacore Club."

Umbridge seemed to have used a lot of effort to say this: "Okay, Headmaster, take back the power of sharing the house of the action team members other than the prefects."